


Observations

by Jen425



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Ninja Steel, Tokusatsu
Genre: (I’m sorry Mick you’re the best mentor in PR!), 85 percent Canon Compliant, Also Mick is here but he doesn’t really do much, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff, Angst and Romance, But still like…, Character Study, Developing Relationship, F/F, POV Second Person, Ranger!Vera, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-10-07 21:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20465747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/pseuds/Jen425
Summary: It’s not what you would call an instant decision.(A look at Viera and her relationship with Sarah, from first meetings to goodbyes.)





	Observations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Galvanbender](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galvanbender/gifts).

> This got both angstier and fluffier than expected and oops? Also I didn’t expect to have so many Viera feels.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like this!

It’s not what you would call an instant decision. You’re a teenager, but you did not rise above your siblings by chance or luck. You rose by way of your own cunning and your pure ambition.

And you are more intelligent than to simply arrive with your announcement, on the show.

(Where you come from, Might makes Right, and you’re intelligence has held you as mightier than anyone who might try to take your throne.)

“Give me a month,” you tell Champion Galvanax. “I can destroy the Rangers, but it will take time. In the meantime, see if you can succeed without wasting my debt to you.”

“Fine,” Galvanax grumbles. “But you get no pay if you don’t deliver.”

You give nothing away with your gaze, and you stare until the monster blinks. A small smile graces your lips, at that.

(One guard, on your behalf, and two on Galvanax’s. He does well to fear the humanoid who has built her empire up from five systems to a Galaxy in a mere eight years, who has never,  _ ever _ flinched.)

“Trust me, Champion,” you say. “I  _ always _ deliver.”

  
  
  


It’s surprisingly easy, to pass as human. But, in a way, you had expected that.

In the beginning, you had always relied un underestimation, to get humanoids to trust you and monsters to let you in close enough to kill. You made no friends but you made yourself seemingly too weak for enemies.

(And truthfully too strong for the few to last long.)

It was why you had succeeded so thoroughly.

The Rangers are, in turn, easily recognizable, bright and smiling. Gold, he’s new. He could pose a challenge, with his power level, and there’s something in his gaze that implies proper competence.

Red has a similar look, when he thinks no one is watching. Well it’s a good thing, once more, that you can be no one. Otherwise, he seems almost too happy and light and…  _ perfect _ .

The other four, however, are so obvious full of naivety and so obviously untrained in war or combat.

But there’s something about Pink that you just can’t look away from.

She’s smart. That makes her dangerous.

(She’s beautiful, and you try not to dwell on it. Just as you do not dwell on what it takes to be a humanoid, heart made for good, walking among monsters.)

  
  
  


You watch, but you do not understand. All around you, people help each other. Is that not weakness?

The Rangers, of course, are some of the most helpful. You watch Yellow and White climb the tree, covered in cloth scraps.

Such a waste, but people come. For whatever reason, everyone on this planet seems to  _ care. _

(They save the day, and the android shows up. You do not mention him or the magic which clearly fuels him. Madam Odious is a problem for Galvanax to deal with. It is best not to let him waste your debt to him.)

And, again and again, you find yourself watching Pink. She moves with such calculation and speed. It’s more beautiful than flying.

You decide to put her on your threat list.

  
  
  


News comes of another uprising from the resistance on the capitol. You leave for only a week, to handle the crisis.

Your family is very good at keeping control of your planet, after all.

Hundreds of new slaves are caught and thousands die, and it doesn’t fill you with the pride that it used to, and you don’t know why.

The leaders, a Rizia Kanic, escapes, and it takes until you get back for you to match the name with the Rangers’ mentor, sold to Galvanax twelve years ago, to help pay off this same debt.

You wonder if morality is genetic or if it’s purely learned, for someone like yourself.

(You wonder why you were the only one of your siblings to be born with your father’s weak humanoid DNA predominant over the monster.)

  
  
  


You analyze their weaknesses, as well as their strengths, which bonds are strongest and weakest and which Ranger would be easiest to destroy.

It’s been almost a year of stability, at home, minus various smaller uprisings, and you’ve missed this.

(The Rangers always win, always find a creative or powerful solution. You try not to consider that their ways are the most powerful.)

  
  
  


(You already know it’s true.)

  
  
  


(You let a pair of runaway children stay in your hideout, and you do not teleport them to the slave quarters on your ship.)

  
  
  


You allow yourself to be announced, alongside your guard. There is no doubt that you can succeed, because the android almost had. And you know the Rangers, by now, enough to hurt them personally if you so choose.

You have one final test, before you make your move.

This is a final test, of sorts, though of course Drillion doesn’t know that. No one truly knows how strong you could stand on your own, but they fear those who stand at your side.

You use force when necessary, and it exacerbates itself.

But you somehow get caught in the fighting, and of course it’s Pink who saves you.

“Are you okay?” She asks.

“You saved me,” You says.

And she says “of course I did,” like it’s nothing at all.

(You think about this world where helping others is encouraged, and you wonder for the first time if this tiny planet is the right one.)

  
  
  


It’s the boy, from before, and how dare he steal food from the Pink Ranger?

“He should be punished!” You growl, but Pink just smiles and giver her whole machine to the little thief. It makes no sense, it never has, until right now.

Sometimes people need help, instead of punishment.

It feels like a revelation that you have already discovered.

  
  
  


You make your choice, work with the Rangers. You have no regrets for it. Might is Right, and the Rangers are the most powerful, at the end of the day.

And the most good, you realize.

Perhaps the hardest realization, all slamming down on you at once, is that goodness is the most powerful, and you have not been good.

(You think about the anger on Pink’s face, when you revealed yourself, and you try to ignore it.)

  
  
  


Kanic doesn’t want to help you, and you note that he mentions no sister or daughter who might be Rizia Kanic. Perhaps it hurts too much.

You try, but you don’t quite know how to care.

But, in the end, even the Rangers understand victory as a necessity. You work with them, willingly, and Kanic works with you.

You feel your armor disappear and try not to flinch, in response. It returns, and you smile.

The Rangers succeed, and you watch.

No longer analyzing, all you do is observe.

(You think Pink should have used your armor, secretly, but you never say it.)

  
  
  


“Will you come visit?” Pink asks. You blink in surprise at the question. The others have already exited your ship, and it’s just the two of you.

“Of course,” you say, before you can stop yourself. “When I’ve fixed my empire.”

But that will take many years, and you know it. Pink seems to know it, too.

“Good luck,” she says.

You nod.

“And to you, Pink Ranger,” you say. Pink laughs.

“Call me Sarah,” she says.

You smile and echo the name. Sarah.

“Very well,” you say. “I will see you again, Sarah.”

(You almost ask her to come with you. You almost believe she’d say yes.)

  
  
  


The Ranger Way is the right way, you know this, now. But there are many pieces to put into play before you can truly begin to change your empire.

If might is right, and good is the most powerful, then good is what you must become.

And you do, in pieces. You track down the Kanic family and give them signal to Earth. You begin the process of ending slavery and lessening punishments.

(You keep your iron grip on the land, because you don’t know what else to do.)

  
  
  


Rizia becomes your biggest ally in fixing the problems of the system you had excelled in. As does your only trusted advisor, Grizzler and Rizia’s second, Jex.

  
  
  


About a month after that, however, you find the four stones. Red and Blue and Green and Pink.

(Green glows for you, like nothing you’ve ever seen. You call them the lightstones.)

And as if things weren’t bad enough, past allies are breaking away. Even worse: the Empire has begun to crack.

  
  
  


It breaks, and you know your challenge will be more difficult than ever.

  
  
  


…But then the lightstones turn into small triggers, tipped with a button in your color. In Rizia’s color. And Grizzler’s and Jex’s.

They’re morphers.

You make your move.

  
  
  


Green is a natural color on you, Green for life and poison and earth and endlessness.

Green is right for you and yet so,  _ so _ wrong.

The Ninja Steel Rangers, however, do not know. You just… forgot to tell them.

A part of that is that you primarily talk just to Sarah, and Sarah is one of the only things in your life that isn’t tinged with your actions and failures. You don’t  _ want _ to tell her, so you don’t end up telling any of them.

(You send them a magic wand tipped in blue and pretend it didn’t come from a boy you couldn’t save.)

  
  
  


Well, Until they’ve lost their powers and gone into “vacation” (whatever that is), and Sarah comes to visit.

“How did you not tell me?” Sarah asks, voice slightly angry.

“I am sorry,” you snap. “Life is busy.”

“Well I still talked to  _ you _ , just the day after our final battle!” Sarah says. “How long have you been a Ranger?”

“Two months,” you admit. “And I am sorry that my life went to every Hell the moment I attempted to fix my mistakes, but I wanted one thing not tinged with pain!”

Sarah blinks, obviously shocked. You realize that you have never been truly angry, in front of her.

“Viera…” she says.

“I care deeply, for you,” you say. “I wanted to keep that.”

“Oh,” Sarah says. “Then I forgive you.”

…what?

“So easily?” You ask. Sarah rolls her eyes.

“Of course,” she says. “I care about you, too.”

You can’t help but smile and find yourself grateful that your cheeks do not flush, like an Earth human’s.

  
  
  


“It’s really amazing, what you’ve done,” Sarah notes, about a week after she arrives. She’s standing on the balcony of your room, looking out at the city-planet capitol of your former empire. From here, it shines with new lights, more beautiful and perfect than ever.

From above.

“It’s not enough,” you says. “The change is not immediate.”

Sarah laughs.

“Of course not,” she says. “But you’re doing the best you can.”

“You truly believe that?” You ask. Sarah turns to you, beautiful brown eyes completely sincere.

“I do,” she says.

(Is this love, you wonder?

After all, you’ve never felt it before.)

  
  
  


Some idiot tries to attack the capitol, and you easily take it out.

Well… easily, with Sarah’s help. The bystanders cheat for her and a grin splits your face and hers.

“I missed  _ this _ ,” Sarah says, twirling her weapon. “Winning. Protecting people.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” you say, and there’s something strange in Sarah’s smile as she says “yeah… me too.”

  
  
  


The strange something is revealed, not a month later.

“I’m staying,” Sarah says.

…What?

“I called my mom,” Sarah says. “I even told her most of the truth, and I’m here to help, for as long as you need.”

And you can’t help but smile, at that. But…

“It’ll be dangerous,” you say. Sarah smirks.

“I can handle anything you throw at me,” she says. You smile, and you believe her.

(When she’s gone, you can barely believe it.)

  
  
  
  


Losing Shlazzer is a very bad thing. He’s almost as intelligent as you and twice as powerful, possibly even with the morpher you keep in your pocket, always.

Having Shlazzer take Sarah with him is worse.

“Viera, you need to calm down,” Rizia says. “You’re gonna get yourself and Sarah and god knows how many innocents hurt, if you just Charge after him.”

“I do. Not. Care!” You growl. “She is in danger, and it is because of me!”

“Sarah’s gotten herself out of plenty of difficult situations,” Mick points out. You just shake your head.

“She’s never met my brother,” you says. “He’ll destroy her and use her remains as a bargaining tool.”

“It took us down, more than once,” Jex points out.

Grizzler puts xir hand on your shoulder.

“Nonetheless, stop worrying,” xe says. “It does none of us any good.”

“I love her,” you whisper, loud enough for only xir enhanced hearing to hear.

“I already knew,” xe says. “We’ll get her back.”

  
  
  


It’s been a month. Shlazzer happily re-forms  _ your _ empire and you wonder if good guys really aren’t allowed to torture. He even takes the capitol, and you will never forget watching everything you’ve tried to do burn to the ground.

And he still has Sarah. He makes that very clear, in every fight. Occasionally with pictures.

(You try very hard not to look at them until the pain burns your eyes into streaming tears of anger and regret.)

And now he’s finally sent a monster that you can’t beat.

No one could.

You never could, even. It has been three proxies, who you had then killed, to take out your father, and that was before his resurrection.

You lay on the ground, with your morph down and your friends beside you.

“I knew you were weak, after all,” he says. “I can’t believe a human—”

He cuts off with a choking noise, Blue magma for blood, and a sword through his throat.

And behind him stands…

“Sarah,” you whisper. Her clothes are still tattered and she looks barely able to stand, half covered in blood, but her eyes are cold and clear. “How—”

“Zorlakian Steel,” Sarah says, voice edged just slightly with the snark all Rangers call on, in battle. “And you didn’t even tell me.”

One of the only metals capable of piercing a Rangers’ suit or a monster’s skin.

You can’t help but laugh, struggling to your feet just in time to catch her.

“I would like to know where you found it,” you say. “How did you get out?”

Sarah smirks.

“Determination,” she says. “And… a lot of pain regulation.”

(You’ve never known anyone to escape your brother alive. You reevaluate the threat levels of the Ninja Steel Rangers In your head.)

“I was worried,” you say, and Sarah’s smile softens.

“I know.”

  
  
  


Sarah recovers quickly and easily, as if nothing has happened, but you notice just as quickly that she carries herself differently, not quite as confident or wondrous and more determined and alert.

You definitely think it’s a bad change.

It’s still Sarah, of course, still kind and protective and skilled, but it’s… different.

She has nightmares, you know, and she only reveals that to you. You only know the second part because it’s her reason for sharing your bed in the Resistance encampment.

(Was it only five months ago that you were destroying one just like this?)

“Brody acts like he forgets,” Sarah whispers. “I used to believe him.”

“I’m sorry,” you say, and Sarah just smiles.

“It’s not your fault,” she says. “I just wish I could do more. Some Summer Vacation, right?”

“I’m sorry for that, too,” you say. “This isn’t your fight.”

Sarah just laughs.

“Of course it is,” she says. “It’s yours, isn’t it? And it’s Mick’s. So I’m here, for as long as you need.”

Between one moment and the next, you find your lips on hers, in the darkness.

It’s the first time in a long time where everything seems alright.

  
  


Galaxy Warriors is returning, and you know she has to leave. She loves you, and you love her, but Ranger Teams are hard to describe without being a part of one.

“Take the Lionfire Zord,” you say, before she can even try and split herself. “It’s fastest ship we have access to.”

(It’s also the only Zord they have left, you know, and your own team can survive with just the newly-developed set.)

“But—”

“You have a duty,” you say. “And a team.”

Sarah sighs.

“I know that,” she says.

“We don’t have much of a choice, though,” Rizia points out.

She probably wants to lose her brother again no more than you want to lose Sarah.

“We’ll need a day to get it ready, anyways,” Jex says. “And I think this is a private conversation or two.”

You nod. Your Red is right.

“Our room?” Sarah asks. You nod.

  
  
  


“I can’t  _ not _ go,” Sarah says, hugging you tightly. “But I don’t want to leave you here.”

“Neither do I,” you say, pulling away just enough to meet her eyes.. “Will you come back?”

“I hope so,” Sarah says. You nod.

“Then I wish you luck,” you say. “Do not stop on my account, not when people need you. I would think less of you, if you did.”

Sarah pulls you even further apart while moving to look you right in your eyes, with an unmatchable intensity.

“I’ll be here, if you need me,” she says.

“As will I,” You reply, just as steady. “I love you.”

Sarah laughs, pulling away.

“I love you, too.”

And you know that, whatever comes next, you’ll be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I really loved writing this fic. Firstly, I now know what the hell I’m doing with something in ANOTHER fic, through the worldbuilding in this one. Secondly, I just really love the verse I’ve begun to establish here? This summer changed Sarah and Mick, from where they are during Canon Super NSteel, and also it’s implied that things changed on Earth, already. So I MIGHT write a Part Two that focuses on the NSteel Rangers, and possibly an NSteel/Viera’s Rangers teamup.


End file.
